Garbage Bills Result In A Heap Of Abuse

Palm Beach County officials knew they would get a lot of telephone calls about the new garbage billing system, but they didn`t count on the offbeat ones.

Consider the woman who wanted to avoid the mandatory service, costing from $75 to $120 a year. She said her dog eats her garbage.

``She claims he eats the cans, too,`` said Greg Cook, systems analyst for the county Sanitation Department. ``You think we`re kidding, don`t you? We`ve had a few people who said that.``

They have said other things, too, since the system started April 1, Cook said, including:

(BU) ``The alligators in the back yard eat my garbage.``

(BU) ``I don`t need the county service because I take my garbage to the dumpster down the street.``

(BU) ``I only have a few dollars a month, and I give it to God? Why should I give it to the garbage people?``

(BU) ``I served in World War II, and my brother gave his life in World War II. Why should I pay my garbage bill?``

(BU) ``Do I get a refund if I die?``

(BU) ``It`s a communist plot to overthrow Palm Beach County.``

(BU) ``I don`t generate any garbage because I eat out every night of the week.``

(BU) ``We might as well move to Cuba because Castro has moved to Palm Beach County.``

All were fruitless attempts to avoid garbage bills mailed to these residents of unincorporated Palm Beach County, Cook said. The bills, mailed two weeks ago to 54,000 homes, are the result of a mandatory garbage-collection ordinance passed earlier this year.

The ordinance makes the county responsible for bill collection, instead of haulers. The purpose is to eliminate dumping on roadsides and vacant lots.

But the new billing system has left some people confused, prompting more than 1,500 calls to the Sanitation Department last week, Cook said. Monday was the biggest day, with 356 people calling the 272-0004 in southern Palm Beach County and 837-3987 in West Palm Beach.

``Some of them ask more obscure, serious questions,`` Cook said. ``But most of the questions are informational in nature.``

For garbage bill recipients, here are answers to the most common questions.

Q. Do I have to pay if I`m not here year-round?

A. Yes, Cook said. ``All property owners in Palm Beach County are liable for garbage pickup under this new ordinance, and service is year-round.``

Q.Why do owners gets bills instead of renters?

A. Because the property is technically registered under the owner`s name, Cook said. ``That`s who the bill will go to.``

Q. Why are we getting bills when we haven`t before?

A. Because of solid waste ordinance 8410, which started April 1, Cook said. The ordinance requires pickup for all single-family homes, duplexes or triplex apartments in unincorporated areas.